Power operated teasing comb having an elliptical path of movement



Sept. 7, 1965 P P. SPILLERS 3, 4,469

POWER OPERATED TEASING COMB HAVING AN ELLIPTICAL PATH OF MOVEMENT Filed May 28, 1963 A T TOR/V5 United States Patent 3,204,469 POWER OPERATED TEASING COMB HAVING AN ELLIPTICAL PATH 0F MOVEMENT Peter Preston Spillers, 1345 E. Clear-view Drive, Des Moines, Iowa Filed May 28, 1963, Ser. No. 283,947 3 Claims. (CI. 74-22) This invention relates to an apparatus for dressing hair and particularly to a power operated hair teasing comb use in creating a bouflant hair style.

It is the object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus which is operable to transfer to a grooming implement, such as a comb, continuous lateral oscillatory movement of an amplitude sufficient to tease a persons hair.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which has motion changing and transmitting means operable to drive the working portion of a grooming implement in an elliptical path.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which is operable to oscillate a grooming implement in a lateral direction at a plurality of speeds.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a portable apparatus for oscillating a grooming implement in a lateral direction which is compact and sturdy in construction, reliable in operation and conveniently held in one hand during use.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become readily apparent upon reference to the following description and the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus of the invention detachably connected to a hair teasing comb;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 77 of FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 3 to 6 are diagrammatic views illustrating the sequential positions of the motion transmitting arm of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a hairdressing apparatus 81 having a releasably detachable comb 82 which is driven in an elliptical or orbital path as indicated by the arrows B. The comb 82 is releasably coupled to a motion transmitting unit 83 which is driven by an electric motor 84. The electric motor 84 is a two speed motor which is connected to the conventional source of electricity by cord 86 through a three position switch 87. When the switch 87 is in the first position the motor 84 is disconnected from the source of electricity and when the switch is in the second and third positions the motor is connected to the source of electricity and operated at a low and high speed, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 2, the electric motor 84 is positioned within a cylindrical housing or casing 88 which has a cylindrical chamber 89 defined by an integral end wall 91 and a removable cap 92. The drive shaft 93 of the motor 84 extends through an opening 94 in the end wall 91 and has mounted thereon a drive gear 95.

The housing member of the motion transmitting unit is integral with the casing 88 and has an enlarged arm portion 97 which extends transversely of the casing 88. A cylindrical recess 98 is formed by the enlarged portion 97 and the transverse wall 91 and has positioned therein a driven gear 99 having internal teeth 101 in meshed engagement with the teeth 96 of the drive gear 95. This engagement is retained by an annular rim and groove connection 102 and 103 on the gears 95 and 99, respectively. An annular washer 104 secured to the end of the large portion 97 retains the driven gear 99 within the recess 98. In order to freely rotate the driven gear 99 in the recess 98, roller bearings 106 are interposed between the outer peripheral surface of the driven gear 99 and the longitudinal walls of the enlarged portion 97 of the casing 88.

An arm member 107 is pivoted at its outer end 108 by a pin 109 to the enlarged casing portion 97. The pin 109 extends through a longitudinal slot 111 in the arm member 107 and permits the arm member to move longitudinally relative to the pin 109. The arm 107 is connected to the driven gear 99 by means of a crank pin 112 which is secured to the gear 99 in an off center relation so as to move in a circumferential path as the gear 99 is rotated. The crank pin 112 extends through longitudi-v nal slot 113 in the arm 107 which slot has a length shorter than the diameter of the circular path of the crank pin 112. In order to permit the crank pin 112 to rotate in a circular path the combined length of the slots 111 and 113 is equal to or greater than the diameter of the circular path of the crank pin 112.

The arm member 107 in integrally formed at its inner end with an extension 114 which projects away from the gear 99 and has a pocket 116 adapted to receive the handle of the comb 82. A spring biased detent 117, secured to the extension 114, engages the handle of the comb 82 to releasably lock the comb to the arm member 107.

Movable arm 107 is enclosed by a cup-shaped cover.

118 secured to the large end portion 97 of the casing 88. The cover 118 has an opening 119 through which the arm extension 114 projects. The opening 119 is of:

an elliptical shape and of a size to permit free movement of the arm 107. In order to prevent the entrance of foreign material into the motion transmitting unit 83 a cap 121 of elastic material is fastened to the cover 118 to enclose the opening 119. The cap 121 has a small opening 122 which grips the extension 114 so that movement of the extension 114 flexes the cap 121.

In use, the manual operation of the switch 87 connects the source of electricity to the motor 84. The energized motor drives the gear 96 which in turn rotates the driven gear 99 at a reduced rate of speed as the diameter of the drive gear 96 is substantially smaller than the driven gear 99. Rotation of the driven gear 99 moves the crank pin 112 in a circular path.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, as the gear 99 rotates in the direction of the arrow the crank pin 112 follows a circular path illustrated in broken lines. In FIG. 4, the crank pin is moved a quarter turn carrying the arm 107 in an upward direction. The crank end is moved to the comb end of the slot 113. As shown in FIG. 5, the crank pin is moved an additional quarter turn carrying the arm 107 back to a horizontal position wherein the pin 109 engages the opposite end of the slot 111 and the crank pin 112 is in the comb end of the slot 113. In this position the comb 82 is in its maximum out position traveling in a downward direction. As shown in FIG. 6, the crank pin 112 is moved an additional quarter turn pivoting the arm member 107 about the pin 109 to carry the comb 82 to its maximum down position and away from its maximum out position. A further quarter turn of the gear 99 positions the crank pin 112 in its initial position shown in FIG. 3 wherein the comb 82 is in its maximum in position. Continuous rotation of the gear 99 moves the comb 82 in an elliptical path wherein the maximum up and down positions are determined by the angular movement of the arm 107 and the maximum in and out positions are determined by the reciprocal movement of the arm 107 on the pin 109 and crank pin 112.

In summary, the hairdressing apparatus is operable to move a hair grooming implement, such as a comb, in an oscillating path to provide a continuously moving comb usable to tease a persons hair. The comb is driven by a motor which drives a motion transmitting unit that changes the rotational torque of the motor means into an oscillating motion to drive the comb in a lateral direction.

While there have been shown, described, and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention, it is to be understood that Various omissions, substitutions, changes in form, and details of the hairdressing apparatus illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is intended to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for oscillating a hair grooming implement in an elliptical path comprising:

(a) housing means,

(b) motor means having a drive shaft and mounted in said housing means,

(c) a driven gear having internal teeth,

(d) bearing means rotatably mounting said driven gear on said housing for rotation about an axis substantially parallel to said drive shaft,

(e) a drive gear secured to said drive shaft and having teeth interengaged with the teeth of the driven gear,

(f) an arm member having a first longitudinal slot at one end thereof and a second longitudinal slot at the other end thereof, said arm member extended substantially parallel to and adjacent said driven gear,

(g) first means extended through said first slot to pivotally connect the arm member to said housing means,

(h) second means extended through said second slot and secured to said driven gear off center from the axis of rotation thereof whereby rotation of said driven gear moves the other end of the arm member in an elliptical path, and

(i) means on said other end of the arm member for detachably securing a grooming implement.

2. An apparatus for oscillating a hair grooming implement in an elliptical path comprising:

(a) housing means,

(b) electric motor means having a drive shaft and mounted in said housing means,

() an electric circuit including a source of electric energy and a switch operable to connect and disconnect the motor means with the source of electric energy,

(d) a driven gear having internal teeth,

(e) bearing means rotatably mounting said driven gear on said housing for rotation about an axis substantially parallel to said drive shaft,

(f) a drive gear secured to said drive shaft and having teeth interengaged with the teeth of the driven gear,

(g) an arm member having a first longitudinal slot at one end thereof and a second longitudinal slot at the other end thereof, said arm member extended substantially parallel to and adjacent said driven gear,

(h) first means extended through said first slot to pivotally connect the arm member to said housing means,

(i) second means extended through said second slot and secured to said driven gear 01f center from the axis of rotation thereof whereby rotation of said driven gear moves the other end of the arm member in an elliptical path, and

(j) means on said other end of the arm member for detachably securing a grooming implement.

3. An apparatus for oscillating a hair grooming comb in an elliptical path comprising:

(a) housing means,

(b) electric motor means mounted in said housing means having a drive shaft,

(c) first pin means secured to said housing means and extended parallel to said drive shaft,

(d) motion transmitting means mounted within said housing means and having a gear rotatably driven by said motor means about an axis parallel to said drive shaft, said gear having second pin means laterally extended in the same direction as said first pin means and mounted off-center from the axis of rotation of said gear,

(e) an arm member having an attachment means on one end thereof, a first slot means on the other end thereof, and a second slot located therebetween, said first pin means within said first slot, said second pin means within said second slot, and

(f) said arm member movable in a plane normal to the axis of rotation of said driven gear, whereby to move said attachment means in an oscillating elliptical path.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,357,031 10/20 Daugherty.

1,577,751 3/26 Paschall 128-51 1,657,229 1/28 Sferlazzo 15-22 1,997,352 4/35 Van Fleet 15-22 2,479,253 8/49 Prediger.

2,601,567 6/52 Steinberg 15-22 2,657,321 10/53 Smithson.

3,046,584 7/62 Wepfer 15-22 RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR OSCILLATING A HAIR GROOMING IMPLEMENT IN AN ELLIPTICAL PATH COMPRISING: (A) HOUSING MEANS, (B) MOTOR MEANS HAVING A DRIVE SHAFT AND MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING MEANS, (C) A DRIVEN GEAR HAVING INTERNAL TEETH, (D) BEARING MEANS ROTATABLY MOUNTING SAID DRIVEN GEAR ON SAID HOUSING FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID DRIVE SHAFT, (E) A DRIVE GEAR SECURED TO SAID DRIVE SHAFT AND HAVING TEETH INTERENGAGED WITH THE TEETH OF THE DRIVEN GEAR, (F) AN ARM MEMBER HAVING A FIRST LONGITUDINAL SLOT AT ONE END THEREOF AND A SECOND LONGITUDINAL SLOT AT THE OTHER END THEREOF, SAID ARM MEMBER EXTENDED SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO AND ADJACENT SAID DRIVEN GEAR, (G) FIRST MEANS EXTENDED THROUGH SAID FIRST SLOT TO PIVOTALLY CONNECT THE ARM MEMBER TO SAID HOUSING MEANS, (H) SECOND MEANS EXTENDED THROUGH SAID SECOND SLOT AND SECURED TO SAID DRIVEN GEAR OFF CENTER FROM THE AXIS OF ROTATION THEREOF WHEREBY ROTATION OF SAID DRIVEN GEAR MOVES THE OTHER END OF THE ARM MEMBER IN AN ELLIJPTICAL PATH, AND (I) MEANS ON SAID OTHER END OF THE ARM MEMBER FOR DETACHABLY SECURING A GROOMING IMPLEMENT. 